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Post by Box_2565 on Sept 16, 2004 16:22:20 GMT -5
Based on what I read in the paper today it appeats that "brownouts" of companies will begin to happen pretty soon.
Does anyone know how the companies to be taken out of service for the day will be selected? Will the same companies be taken out of service every time (i. e. will Engine XX always be the first company removed from service or will there be some type of rotation)?
It's unfortunate that this had to happen....
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Post by underdog on Sept 16, 2004 19:56:00 GMT -5
in addition to the terrible news about brownouts - does anyone have any information about the new recuit class set to start in december?
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Post by Box_2565 on Sept 22, 2004 0:20:48 GMT -5
Standing Room Only At City Hall Over Fire Company "Brown-outs"
It was standing room only at city council's finance committee meeting Tuesday.
Dozens of firefighters and residents came out to voice their opposition to a new plan that would reduce the city's fire companies in an effort to save money.
The proposed plan reportedly would save $1.4 million, but some residents say that savings could come at the cost of their safety.
"Seconds count on medical runs for heart problems, breathing issues, falls and stroke episodes," said one speaker at Tuesday's city council meeting, "with budget cuts -- this is death in the making."
"We had a recent fire on Pullan street and our fire department said if it had been one more minute -- two houses would have been gone -- not one," said one Northside resident.
Cincinnati Fire Chief Robert Wright said there could be up to six fire companies cut -- a practice known as "brown-outs."
According to the firefighters' union, each company consists of one truck and a handful of firefighters.
They say the cuts would be dangerous move that would jeopardize the whole City of Cincinnati.
"We have to have a Cincinnati that people wanna come to because they feel comfortable and welcome," said Joe Diebold, president of the firefighters union.
"They can't worry about whether or not they're going to be hurt, injured or make it to the hospital on time," said Diebold, "or they could be in an accident and not receive the care they need."
The companies cut would include those from the fire headquarters downtown, the West End, Avondale, Oakley, South Fairmount and Northside.
"It's not my preference," said Chief Wright. "We don't have any other new revenues coming in, we don't have another option."
City council member Chris Smitherman disagreed.
Smitherman said there has to be another option.
"Now what I want the manager and what I want the administration to do is cut everything else, I mean bare bones, before we start browning-out certain communities, because that is very subjective," Smitherman said.
Chief Wright stressed however that no fire stations will close, just companies within those fire stations targeted.
Reported by: 9News Web produced by: Neil Relyea Photographed by: 9News 9/21/04 11:08:24 PM WCPO.com
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Post by Box_2565 on Sept 22, 2004 12:18:47 GMT -5
City Council vows not to allow reduced fire staffing in 2005-06
$11.5 million deficit looms for next year
By Kevin Aldridge Enquirer staff writer
Cincinnati City Council members - displeased about having to reduce staffing at six firehouses because of budget woes - declared Tuesday that fire department brownouts would not be an option for alleviating an $11.5 million budget deficit next year.
The city plans to brown out fire companies downtown as well as in Avondale, South Fairmount, Northside, Oakley and the West End for the rest of this year in an effort to keep the city's fire department from going over budget. City Manager Valerie Lemmie had asked five city departments - fire, police, parks, recreation, and public services - to cut spending.
Each department submitted cost-cutting proposals that could save the city about $4.2 million on an estimated $7.8 million general fund deficit for the budget year that ends in December. The fire department took the biggest hit by eliminating roughly $2.4 million in spending - more than half coming through brownouts.
Councilman David Crowley introduced a motion during council's finance committee meeting Tuesday that pledged council would not consider brownouts as a solution to budget woes in 2005 and 2006.
The motion also called for the city to use any additional revenues collected in the next three months to reduce the number of brownouts this year. The measure passed unanimously.
"I don't want this to become a way of doing business in the future," Crowley said. "No one on the city wants to see brown-outs even on a temporary basis.
"The prospect of making them permanent is beyond drastic - it is frightening," Crowley said.
About 100 firefighters packed council chambers to listen to a presentation on the planned cuts. Cincinnati's fire union had submitted its own money-saving proposal, but it was rejected because city officials said it wouldn't save money quickly enough.
Union President Joe Diebold told council members that brownouts were "risky business," saying they would increase response time - and any delays could cost lives and property.
"Closing fire companies is dangerous," Diebold said. "No matter how you look at it, you are gambling with the lives of citizens and the lives of those who visit our city."
Fire Chief Robert Wright said brownouts were "the least harmful method" to quickly save $1.4 million. Wright said certain neighborhoods were targeted for brownouts because they had more than one fire engine housed there.
"If there was a single engine, that station was not considered," Wright said, noting there are 14 firehouses with multiple trucks. "It is not my preference, but we don't have another option."
Rising utility costs, fleet maintenance and unanticipated overtime were the primary causes for the department exceeding its budgets. Wright said that, during the first eight months of this year, the fire department averaged about seven firefighters per day working overtime at about $962 per shift. The department had budgeted for just three per day.
Paul Green, president of the Northside Community Council, said the city should divert money from other areas instead of the fire department. Green said he was shocked to learn the city spends about $500,000 a year on the arts.
"I love the arts, but nobody is leaving Cincinnati for the suburbs because we don't give enough to the arts," Green said.
BROWN-OUTS Each day the Cincinnati Fire Department staffs 40 fire companies within 26 firehouses. City officials plan to reduce daily staffing at six of them including:
• Company 14, Fifth Street and Central Avenue, downtown
• Company 29, West Liberty Street, West End
• Company 32, 650 Forest Ave., Avondale
• Company 31, 4401 Marburg Ave., Oakley
• Company 21, 2131 State Ave., South Fairmount
• Company 20, 1668 Blue Rock Road, Northside The Cincinnati Enquirer 09/22/04
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Post by DougStern on Sept 22, 2004 17:24:39 GMT -5
Lets see if I can explain this. The "brownouts" start with the list as mentioned on day 1 on day 2 they start with the second listed compnay and hte first goes to the end of the list. Companies will be closed as overtime is needed. One day may require 8 overtimes, that means 2 companies close. Brownouts are also in effect for partial tours. Meaning if a fire fighters leaves to care for a sick family member, another company closes and the other three fire fighters are scattered throughout the depatment. Not a scientific explaination but I hope it helps answer some questions.
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Post by FireBuff on Sept 23, 2004 19:08:01 GMT -5
About 08:10 hours this morning fire tower announced the list of brownout companies for today. As far as I know this was the first day for brownout companies.
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Post by Box_2565 on Sept 23, 2004 23:38:50 GMT -5
Fire Trucks Will Be Slower Responding Brownouts At Six Stations Worry Firefighters, Victims
POSTED: 5:04 pm EDT September 22, 2004 UPDATED: 11:06 am EDT September 23, 2004
CINCINNATI -- Six fire stations are facing big cuts in Cincinnati, which means equipment meant to protect citizens is taken off the street, WLWT News 5's Brian Hamrick reported.
Last year, the fire department was $2.4 million over budget, and in an effort to save $1.6 million, some buildings will be temporarily closed.
The city finance committee announced Tuesday that cuts to the fire department budget will not close any firehouse. Instead, officials will cut back on one of six buildings that house two companies each.
One building will be eliminated for a few days, with other departments covering the area. The periodic eliminations would roll around the group of six houses and the only firefighters to be sent home will be those who were working overtime.
Some experts say the cuts mean the average response time for emergency crews will be increased by 17 seconds.
"As simply as we can put it, our concern is for public safety," said Doug Stern, of the firefighter's union.
Some firefighters believe the time difference from the cutbacks could mean the difference between a rescue and a recovery mission.
While not all consequences of the cutbacks are as dramatic, many experts believe the damage is measured in seconds, Hamrick reported.
A recent fire provides a dramatic example. According to Stern, it took firefighters just three minutes to arrive at the home. They were barely able to save the house next door, and the next closest fire department would have taken an additional five minutes to arrive, Hamrick reported.
Some victims are concerned about the response time difference.
"It could have burned down the whole house and got to my neighbors house downstairs," said Teneeka McCoy, a fire victim. "It would be a whole different story if it had been another two minutes. We wouldn't be on this porch right now."
Firefighters Protest Overtime Cuts, Brownouts Three Cincinnati Houses Shut Down Today In Cost-Cutting Move
POSTED: 10:45 am EDT September 23, 2004 UPDATED: 6:19 pm EDT September 23, 2004
CINCINNATI -- City and fire officials are "gambling with lives," the president of the Cincinnati firefighters union charged today after firefighters learned of a new cost-cutting policy – no more overtime – on top of the station brownouts that went into effect today.
"This is beyond the edge ... ," said Joe Diebold. "They are gambling with lives. That's all there is to it."
Cincinnati firefighters hung a brown tarp and a for-sale sign at the downtown station this morning in protest of the brownout there. The West End and Avondale stations also shut down today.
WLWT's Amy Wagner reported that 17 of 40 fire stations weren't operating at full capacity this morning. Some crews had three persons instead of four, in violation of OHSA standards and fire department policy, Wagner reported.
In some situations, Wagner reported, firefighters might have to stay outside a fire and watch it burn until backups could arrive.
Diebold said if Engine 32 would get a call when their ladder company is browned out, the next closest ladder company would take about two minutes to catch up -- a significant difference than the 17-second delay projected.
"This is ridiculous," Diebold said. "To start off fire companies, when you close companies, with an unavailable firefighter force -- it's negligent, period."
The rotating brownouts will also affect stations in Oakley, South Fairmount and Northside. When they're closed, other stations will make runs to those areas.
Officials say the number of companies browned out will vary each day depending on staffing.
City leaders say cutbacks are necessary because the city is way over budget. Last year, the fire department was $2.4 million over budget.
Stay tuned to WLWT and refresh ChannelCincinnati.com for additional information.
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Post by Box_2565 on Oct 9, 2004 15:02:29 GMT -5
City Leaders Make Compromise On Fire Company Brownouts
The Cincinnati fire chief and city leaders say all their engines will be back in service sunday.
Two weeks ago city officials made the decision to institute "brownouts" which would take some crews and their trucks out of service on a temporary basis as an effort to cut costs.
Now fire officials say they've figured out how to make ends meet.
Fire Chief Robert Wright made the announcement on Friday.
Although city officials say the new plan is only a temporary fix, at least it puts all of the engines back in service.
However, it will not put the crews back at full staff.
Instead it will leave each engine with three or four people.
That's below the city's standard which is four per engine, but city officials say it will be a safer situation than the current one because more trucks will be available in case of an emergency.
While they eventually want to be back at full staff, they say it's not yet possible financially.
They say what's making this happen now is that the city is taking $125,000 it just received to cover a Tall Stacks debt and handing it over to the city's fire department.
"This is a preferred approach," said city manger Valerie Lemmie, "it is not the ultimate solution."
"It is just a preferred approach for the balance of the fiscal years as we work on the budget for 2005-2006," said Lemmie.
"Those are the areas we're going to look at to find the longer term solutions," Lemmie said.
Leaders of the firefighters union say they are happy the brownouts have ended.
They say they'll work with the fire chief and city leaders on how they can bring everyone back to full service next year.
Reported by: Deb Silverman Web produced by: Neil Relyea Photographed by: 9News 10/8/04 5:49:36 PM WCPO.com
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Post by Box_2565 on Oct 15, 2004 13:43:01 GMT -5
All companies are back in service, but some are running with only 3 firefighters. From what I can hear on the scanner it appears that all boxes have an additional engine company assigned on the first alarm so that the standard 1st alarm assignment now calls for 3 or 4 engines and 3 trucks.
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Post by Box_2565 on Oct 31, 2004 13:59:14 GMT -5
Brownouts are again being used as of today.
As of 08:28- the following companies were browned-out: E46,20,29 T17,32,14. These will change as the day goes on.
08:45- T17 back in service.
08:49- "The now official list of brownouts are E20,29,31 T14,32."
I wasn't aware that single company houses would be on the list (Engine 46). Has this changed?
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Post by George Bredestege on Nov 4, 2004 13:26:08 GMT -5
They were going to spread the brownouts around, but I think the folks in the communities of HYde Park and Clifton Heights made them change their minds. I think they have decided to brown out the companies they can afford to lose. Count on several companies disappearing next year, permanently.
gwbjr
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Post by RigBuff on Nov 5, 2004 7:40:33 GMT -5
Hello. Questions regarding brownouts...... 1. What is meant by "companies they can afford to lose"? 2. Sorry if I am incorrect or inadequately knowledgeable, but aren't companies sometimes almost CONSTANTLY on runs these days (mostly EMS)? Don't companies from some communities (whether it be Hyde Park, Clifton, or ANYWHERE) often respond out of their 1st alarm district or even sometimes half way across town when other companies are on other runs? Wouldn't disbanding more companies simply hurt ALL communities?? Aren't we already somewhat SHORT on companies? Obviously, there is the matter of dollars, but is this simply the sign of the times ?.... that companies and ambulances/rescues are often on-the-go CONSTANTLY? Equipment has improved, and things go faster in general, but what is the general feeling? Are personel happy working under present conditions, (disregarding brownouts) WITHOUT disbanding any more companies, and sometimes making CONSTANT runs? And sometimes longer response times? Or would they rather see a few more companies in existence (and more ambulances and rescues, obviously)?? Is there any rule or law regarding number of companies, say, per size of the city? If so, how do we size up with it? As I see it, no more companies should be disbanded, and if anything, we could use a few MORE companies. Or is the general feeling among FIRE personel that everything fine the way it is as long as we don't have brownouts? Replies? Thanks.
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Post by district5 on Nov 28, 2004 11:06:31 GMT -5
Sunday, November 28, 2004 The Cincinnati Enquirer
Fatal fire intensifies dispute Union blames cost-cutting for delay
By Dan Klepal and Reid Forgrave
AVONDALE - A fire Saturday morning at a group home with mentally ill patients killed a 45-year-old resident and led members of the Cincinnati Firefighters Union to blame the city's cost-cutting "brownout" policy for delaying their response.
No one else was injured in the 7 a.m. blaze at 565 Blair Ave.
Brownouts are rotating closures of fire companies at six firehouses throughout the city.
They were instituted in September as an attempt to keep the fire department from overspending its budget by $2 million on overtime.
Top officials with the Cincinnati Fire Department said units were on the scene within three minutes Saturday.
They said the brownout did not contribute to the death.
The nearest ladder company - the unit primarily responsible for search-and-rescue operations in a fire - was just three blocks away but couldn't respond because it was browned out.
That left ladder companies from Corryville and East Walnut Hills to respond.
"Firefighters are angry," union vice president Joe Arnold said in a statement. "Firefighters feel the loss any time there is a fire fatality.
"To know that if (Avondale) Ladder 32 was in service this may not have happened is more than heartbreaking. It is infuriating."
Arnold's statement said the additional response time of ladder companies from Walnut Hills and Corryville "may have contributed to the person's death."
"Ladder 32 is just blocks away from the scene of the fire, (and) would have responded and started searching for this trapped person sooner if they were in service."
Acting Fire Chief Chris Corbett called that statement irresponsible. He said the ladder companies actually arrived at the same time as the Avondale fire engine, which had the responsibility of fighting the fire.
"We had three companies on the scene in three minutes," Corbett said. "I do not feel having Ladder 32 in service would have saved the person. To say otherwise is a gross mischaracterization. I don't know how you make that statement without a thorough investigation. I think (union officials) jumped on this for political reasons, and it's unfortunate to do that."
Corbett said the union was trying to scare the public.
But union spokesman Doug Stern said you just have to look at a map to see the truth.
"There's no way a company coming from four times the distance could arrive at the same time as the unit from Avondale," Stern said. "And we're saying the person who died in that fire would have had a better chance had Ladder 32 been there."
Eight people lived in the home. Five escaped. Two others had been staying with friends or relatives away from the home. The residents are supervised during the day and left on their own at night.
A similar debate over brownouts was sparked last month when an Oakley business, Son Pallet on Brotherton Road, caught fire when the engine company at the Oakley firehouse was shut down. That caused an engine from Madisonville to respond. Union officials said it took firefighters five minutes to respond to that fire, while Fire Chief Robert Wright said the response time was three minutes, adding that the brownout did not lead to any additional damage.
The brownout policy works like this: When firefighters call in sick or are otherwise not at work, the city puts companies out of service instead of paying others overtime to cover the shift. The city had planned to continue the brownouts through the end of this year. Four fire companies in Cincinnati were browned out Saturday, in Avondale, downtown, Oakley and the West End.
Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said the brownout policy will be reviewed.
"We're always reviewing it," Luken said. "We're constantly asking the union to give us leeway to either put people on other kinds of duties or to do this without overtime because the budget has been busted."
The city tried to avoid the brownouts in August by asking the union to allow certain companies to operate with three-person crews, rather than the standard four-person crew. That, combined with a $125,000 surplus from Tall Stacks, would have avoided the brownouts, Corbett said.
But the union sued over the reduced crews, and the city went back to its brownout policy.
Union spokesman Stern said his organization resisted crew reductions because they are unsafe.
"One person has to stay with the truck and one person has to man the hydrant," Stern said. "A three-person crew would leave one firefighter in a building lugging around a 75-pound, charged hose by himself."
Fire investigators were still trying to determine the cause of Saturday's fire, but Corbett said it seemed suspicious to him. The investigators ruled out an electrical cause, and collected samples from the home to test for fire accelerants, such as gasoline. Those samples won't be back until about Friday, Corbett said.
"I think this fire is very suspicious especially because of where it started - the rear stairwell," Corbett said.
Officials have not named the man who died in the fire. He was found on the third floor of the brick home. District 3 Fire Chief Paul Weber said all the smoke detectors in the home were working, and in fact woke up most residents. Weber also said the fire escape on the outside of the house was working.
A fire was set in the same house over the summer. A resident was convicted of arson and sent to jail. Weber wasn't sure if that person is still jailed, but said he was not living in the house on Saturday.
Bennett J. Cooper Jr., executive director of the Central Community Health Board, said both smoke detectors were working when the home was last checked, on Monday. There also were fire extinguishers present at that time. The home was licensed by the Ohio Department of Health and operated under contract.
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Post by Box_2565 on Dec 1, 2004 0:15:06 GMT -5
Fire Department Announces Brownout Reductions
LAST UPDATE: 11/30/2004 4:59:56 PM
The Cincinnati Fire Department has announced a reduction of brownouts at firehouses. Every Cincinnati Fire Company will be fully staffed during the overnight hours from 7:00 pm until 7:00 am every day. Some companies will remain closed during the day. Brownouts were put in place due to budget cuts.
Tuesday's announcement of the reduction of brownouts comes just three days after a fatal fire at a group home in Avondale Saturday. One man was killed in the fire. The local Firefighter Union has said firehouse brownouts possibly contributed to the man's death. The Fire Department disagrees.
Tuesday, Firefighter Union Local 48 released a statement saying "the people of Cincinnati can rest easier knowing that while they sleep their fire department is fully staffed to respond to emergencies."
WKRC-TV
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Post by Box_2565 on Dec 2, 2004 1:12:44 GMT -5
Reduction of Brownouts "A Great Start" Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 reacted today to the announcement of brownout reductions by calling it a "great start." Every Cincinnati fire company will be fully staffed from 7:00 pm until 7:00 am every day. Some fire companies will remain closed from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm depending on staffing shortages. "We are happy that the Fire Department was able to sharpen their pencils and find the necessary funding to implement this change," stated Local 48 Vice President Joe Arnold. "This is a shining example of what we can accomplish when each side sits together and works toward a solution. While Local 48 is happy to have been a part of this action, we continue to believe that all brownouts must end for the citizens to be safe. We continue to be available to discuss alternatives to end all brownouts." The idea of staffing all fire companies during night hours was proposed a few weeks ago by a District Chief and Local 48 Trustee. "The people of Cincinnati can rest easier knowing that while they sleep their fire department is fully staffed to respond to emergencies," Arnold continued. "But we have more work left to be done!" ### From IAFF Local 48 www.iafflocal48.org/
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